But Be Filled with the Spirit

To be filled with the Spirit may be Paul's most important command. The Holy Spirit is the source of power and light of the Church. Without light, we will not be seen. As with Ephesus in Rev. 2, if a church no longer has life and has lost its first love, Jesus will remove His Spirit without warning.

What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?
It is to yield to the influence He exerts over His people as Lord. When we're filled with Holy Spirit, He enables us to do what God commands, what we naturally could never do.

He's not an impersonal force but a person whom we need to submit to, yield to, give over to like a friend. We must follow His lead and obey Him in all parts of our lives. We must ruthlessly deal with our sin and clear our temples of any idols, for we can't be filled while we still have unrepentant sin.

How do we be filled with the Spirit?
Community living. Christianity is not a maverick religion. If you live an isolated Christian life, void of any meaning fellowship, chances are you are not filled with the Spirit.

Word-centred fellowship. This is more than just hanging out; it's teaching, preaching, singing, and praying about Christ. The Holy Spirit loves Christ; when Christ is proclaimed, the Spirit is irresistibly attracted.

God-exalting thanksgiving. God's will is that we should thank Him for all that He has done in Christ. When we refuse, the Spirit is grieved. When we're filled with thankfulness, we're filled with the Spirit.

Christ-like submission. We need not only to submit to the Spirit, but to submit to one another out of fear and reverence to God. We must submit to one another as Christ submitted Himself to the Father.